Molds



(No Model.) '1 I S. ALLEY & J. A. MAQLELLAN.

. APPARATUS FOR MAKING MOLDS. No. 89'7,688. Patented lf'eb'. 12, 1889.

WITNESSES: I I I 'INVENTUPIS a a awdww,

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN ALLEY AND JOHN A. MACLELLAN, ()l? (EILASGOIV, COUNTY OF LANARK, SFOTLANI).

APPARATUS FOR MAKING MOLDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,683, dated February 12, 1889.

Application filed August 29, 1888. Serial No. 284,041. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, STEPHEN ALLEY and JOHN ALEXANDER l\;[AcLELLAN, subjects of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and residents of Gdasgow, in the county of Lanark, Scotland, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus for Making Molds for Casting, of which the following is a specifica tion.

()ur invention has [for its object to construct and arrange apparatus for making molds for castingin an improved manner,

and so as to save labor and time, especially sand or mold material heaped upon the pat- I tern with considerable speed up against a fixed block, so as by the concussive action and followingpressure to effect the ramming operation in a satisfactor' and rapid manner.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a plan, and Figs. 2 and 3 are side and trout sectional elevations. Fig. 4 is a detached view.

The apparatus is carried upon a massive bed-plate, A, in an Opening in which there is fixed a hydraulic cylinder, 1). The ram (l of the hydraulic cylinder carries a platen, D, which is guided in its vertical moyementsby tubes E, fixed to its four corners and working on rods F, fixed down to the bed-plate. These short rods 1 are used instead of the long rods which in ordinary hydraulic presses connect the bed-plate to an overhead entablature; and instead of using an entablature connected by rods to the bed-plate we employ for resisting the action of the press a block, G, of wood,fixed to a strong lnacket, H, which is fitted on the upper end of a massive pillar, .T, standing at the back of the machine and fixed down to the bed-plate A. W ith this arrangement there is, except where the pillar J is, clear space all round the maactly to the contour of the pattern at the parting plane. The parting-plate K is accurately adjusted by means of screws N, screwed up through the platen D and fixed by jamnuts.

The sand or mold material. is shoveled into the n1oldbox L when the parts are in the positions in which they are shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and is filled in so as to be heaped up to some extent above the middle of the pattern M. In some cases the quantity of sand or mold material may be measured by means of a light frame (indicated by dotted lines 9 in 2) temporarily placed 011 the top edges of the mold-box. L, enough sand or mold material being supplied to fill up to the top of this frame. The water under pressure is then admitted into t-hehydraulie cylinder B, and the ram C,with the parts carried by it, is run rapidly up. The block G above is shaped to enter easily within the mold-box L, and the result of the tmeration, when adequate speed and pressure are employed, is to Form a mold with the sand or mold material pressed on all parts of the pz-rttcrn with sulticientlyuniform. density. its under side a jirojecdiion, 10, to form a gate in the mold, this projection being made with a hole, into which a pin, 11, on the pattern M enters when raised. As soon as the compression of the sand or mold material has been effected, the hydraulic ram C is lowered, and the parts carried by it descend, but to different positions. The parting-plate K descends until stopped by the tops of the fixed rods F, which extend up through holes in the platen l), as shown in Fig. 4, and are encountered'by rubber butter-pieces fixed in cups P, formed on the under side of the parting-plate K at the corners. The descent of the platen D is for a moment arrested when the parting-plate K is stopped; but imme- The block G has fixed to diately afterward the platen D descends as much farther as to lower the pattern M down through the parting-plate K. The mold-box L, with the molded sand in it, can then be removed, and an empty mold-box be put into its place for the next molding operation. For i the purpose of temporarily arresting the descent of the platen D, as described, there are fixed to its under part two legs, Q, which temporarily rest upon a chock-plate, R. (Indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.) This chock-plate R itself rests by means of adjustable screw-pins S upon an annular projection formed on the hydraulic cylinder B, and it is arranged like a lever to turn on a center, T, at one side. A treadle, U, in the form of a bell-crank is provided for withdrawing the chock-plate B, being connected to it by a chain passing round a guide-pulley, V, while a spring, W, draws the chock-plate R into position for arrestingthe descent of the platen D as soon as, in rising, the legs Q get above the chock-plate. When the platen D descends to its lowest position on the with-' drawal of the chock-plate R, violent concussion is avoided by rubber rings X, placed on the ram 0, so as to encounter the stuffingbox gland. of the hydraulic cylinder B.

The movements of the apparatus are controlled by a hand-lever, Y, fixed on the spindle of a valve in a valve-box, Z, through which the water passes on its way to and from the hydraulic cylinder B, the valve-box being connected to the cylinder by a pipe, 4, and having supply and exhaust pipes connected to it. The speeds at various parts of the descent are controlled automatically by a rod or bar,

'5, which is adj ustably fixed to the platen D,

so as to move therewith. The bar 5 is formed with a cam-surface, (3, which, when the handleverY is pressed round in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 to put the cylinder in communication with. the exhaust, partially closes the exhaust at the time when the pattern M is beginning to be withdrawn from the parting-plate K.

Owing to the rapidity with which, when our improved apparatus is used, molds can be formed, the castings made, and the sand or mold material be ready for use over again, it happens that the sand or mold material is in a warm condition when put into the moldbox, and condensation of moisture is apt to take place upon the pattcm, which is itself a casting, and cause imperfect work and inconvenience. To avoid this trouble, we keep the platen D, and through it the pattern M, in a warm state by means of two or more Bunsen jets of gas and air burning beneath the platen and supplied by a pipe, 7. In order to limit the upward movement of the platen D and extending upward and having a platen, a pattern fixed on the platen, a parting plate with a contour opening through which the pattern can project, adjusting-pins screwed in the platen to determine the position of the parting-plate when lifted by the platen, a mold-box, a resisting-block above the platen, a movable chock-plate for temporarily supporting the platen at a point in its descent, and a valve for controlling the action of the water in the hydraulic cylinder, the several parts being arranged and operating substantially as herein set forth.

2. Molding apparatus comprising, in combination, a hydrauliccylinder with its ram extending upward and having a platen, a pattern fixed on the platen, a parting-plate, with a contour opening through which the pattern can project, adjusting-pins screwed in the platen to determine the position of the part-- ing-plate when lifted by the platen, a mold box, a resisting-block above the platen and fixed upon a bracket upon a pillar at the back of the machine, a movable chock-plate for temporarily supporting the platen at a point in its descent, and a valve for controlling the action of the water in the hydraulic cylinder, the several parts being arranged and operating substantially as herein set forth.

3.. In molding apparatus having a rising platen with a pattern fixed 011 it,-a partingplate adjustable in relation to the platen, combined with a device for guiding the platen and stopping the parting plate when the platen has partly descended, such device consisting of rods fixed to the bed-plate and extending up through guide-tubes fixed to the platen, with their upper ends acting as stops for the parting-plate, substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

STEPHEN ALLEY. J. A. MAOLELLAN. 

